AMS Planning & Research Corp. Celebrates 25 Years in Service to the Arts & Entertainment Sector

Help ISPA congratulate member organization AMS Planning & Research Corp. on their 25th anniversary! Learn more about AMS and their 25 years of service to the arts in the full press release below.

AMS Planning & Research Corp., based in Southport, CT, recognizes 25 years operating in service of the arts and entertainment sector this fall. Founded in 1988 by ISPA member Steven A. Wolff, CMC, the international arts management consultancy has supported the development of more than $5 billion in arts facilities across North America and has worked with hundreds of producing, presenting and industry service organizations nationally and internationally.

The consulting practice, established with a deep commitment to the role of the arts in communities, is dedicated to working with arts and community leaders to develop and operate ventures that are effective and vital. "It has been a privilege to be involved with so many communities that recognize the arts and culture as integral to success and competitiveness,” says Wolff. "We have been fortunate to work with organizations, cities and towns, large and small, literally all across the world, and our team of experienced and visionary professionals has added significant value to our clients’ projects.”

Michael Spring, director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, notes: "Twenty years ago, we had the great fortune to select AMS to help us with the bold adventure of transforming our community into a brand new, international center for the performing arts. The results speak for themselves. Over two decades, Miami-Dade County has invested over a billion dollars in the arts and cultural sector. Throughout that time, AMS, by the sheer force of its extraordinary dedication, creativity and effectiveness has been the perfect partner to help us capitalize on the unique and ever-changing opportunities of building the cultural life of a diverse and dynamic 21st century city.”

Notable projects in Miami-Dade County include the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates (New Haven, CT) and the South Dade Center, designed by Arquitectonica International (Miami, FL).

"In addition to our facility work, AMS has been fortunate to work with major institutions, foundations and government agencies in understanding, extending and leveraging the positive benefits of the arts,” says Wolff. "We have explored city-wide arts eco-systems, evaluated State Department public diplomacy efforts, assisted with community cultural planning and policy development, and undertaken industry research for organizations such as the Heinz Endowments, the Wallace Foundation, the Columbus Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts as well as producers, presenters and major performing arts centers.”

Karen Brooks Hopkins, CEO of the Brooklyn Academy of the Arts, says AMS has been a vital partner through major initiatives at the New York City institution. "Their work on our behalf has ranged from a local Brooklyn project to the enormous BAM/US State Department program DanceMotion USAsm, which spans the globe,” adds Hopkins. "AMS has always proven to be not only reliable, thorough and focused, but also creative and passionate about the work.”

In 2002, AMS Analytics, LLC, the research practice of the firm, expanded consumer and market research offerings to include PAC Statssm, an international benchmarking tool used at performing arts centers from New York to Sydney, Australia.

"PAC Stats is an initiative to provide industry executives with critical, longitudinal and comparative data to aid them in better decision-making,” Wolff says.

Myron Martin, CEO of the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, notes that long before even naming the building, his group consulted AMS about the complexities of creating a world-class performing arts center. "Community support is beyond our expectations, and artists and audiences love coming to the Smith Center,” says Martin. "There is no doubt that the keys to our success were planning, planning, and planning.”

"The arts and culture sector is an essential player in the success of communities worldwide,” says Wolff. "We are committed to and confident about garnering the creativity, power and passion of artists, audiences, supporters and community leaders to both continue and expand that success. Our work is about identifying innovations and ideas, and we look forward to the next steps in serving this sector for decades to come.”